Candice Peterkin ’20, founder of SheIsArt, was selected to present her startup at the annual event for young entrepreneurs.
Seeing other social entrepreneurs talk about their business made me feel like I can definitely make it myself. And having the support of my team is truly amazing.
— SheIsArt founder Candice Peterkin '20
Last April, Candice Peterkin ’20 was one of four teams selected to pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors for seed money at the annual Fairfield StartUp Showcase. A year ago, if you had told Peterkin that she would be joining other budding entrepreneurs to present at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit, Mich., she might not have believed you.
“I feel truly blessed to have had the incredible support of my mentors and professors to take SheIsArt to the next level,” said Peterkin.
SheIsArt is a digital magazine that seeks to uplift and unify women of color by sharing their stories and demonstrating that every woman is art and has a compelling story. Peterkin and her team interview women of color from many backgrounds, living in cities around the world. From those interviews, they create digital magazine covers and content for @sheisartmagazine on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
“Being in Detroit at the Forbes Under 30 Summit was an awesome experience because I got to be around like-minded people who see a cause and a reason to do better,” said Peterkin. “It’s reassuring to know that there is more than working a '9 to 5,' and that there are people out there doing their own thing and sticking to it.”
At the event, Peterkin, along with hundreds of other young entrepreneurs, showcased her startup to entrepreneurs and investors from a branded booth. Venture capitalists (VCs) were in attendance, looking to scout startups to compete onstage as part of a pitch competition for a chance to win $250,000. While Peterkin did not have the chance to speak with the VCs, she talked to many high-profile entrepreneurs who were interested in her business, including Forbes CEO Michael Federle.
From this experience, Peterkin has gained many new contacts who are interested in collaborating and potentially sponsoring or investing in SheIsArt. She continues to work on setting up more interviews and even plans to travel to China next summer to interview women of color in China and share their experiences.
"Being around people at different stages in their business was really inspiring,” said Peterkin. “Seeing other social entrepreneurs talk about their businesses made me feel like I can definitely make it myself. And having the support of my team is truly amazing. They help me stay grounded, focused, and goal-orientated."
The Fairfield StartUp program is actively recruiting teams and mentors for the 2020 Showcase. To learn more visit fairfield.edu/startup, or contact businessplan@fairfield.edu.
